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PRCC ranked No. 1 in state, No. 28 in U.S.

Another leading higher education assessment has brought national recognition to Pearl River Community College. TheBestSchools.org, a leading higher education-career website, recently ranked PRCC the No. 1 community college in Mississippi and the 28th best community college in the country. TheBestSchools.org selected the 50 best community colleges in the U.S. based on a comparison of several studies and ratings of community colleges as well as the college’s reputation and review of a large number of notable community colleges. “This recognition is a reflection of the hard work of our dedicated faculty and staff. These outstanding educators have worked diligently to change the lives of our students and their effort has transformed our institution into a nationally recognized college, I am proud of every member of the Pearl River family for this incredible accomplishment”, said PRCC President Adam Breerwood. “Our focus has always been in providing a foundation for our students to succeed in whatever career field they choose. This honor proves our students are not only succeeding, they are thriving on a national stage.” This is not the first time that PRCC has received national recognition in recent years. PRCC ranked No. 20 in the CNN Money listing of top community colleges in 2012. The Aspen Institute listed Pearl River Community College among the top 10 percent of all U.S. community colleges in 2012 and 2013. Also, the Beta Tau Chapter of Phi Theta Kappa, located at the Forrest County Center, was recently named one of the top 100 chapters internationally. PRCC is one of more than 1,100 community colleges in the U.S. According to the American Association of Colleges (AACC), community colleges enrolled nearly half of all undergraduates in the U.S. These community colleges graduate 20-25 percent of all first-time, full-time students. Last May, PRCC graduated approximately 900 students, one of the largest classes in the school’s history. “We selected the top community colleges based on a comparison of several studies and ratings of community colleges, each with their own unique selection criteria, as well as the schools’ reputation and our review of notable community colleges,” said David Redfearn with TheBestSchools.org. “While completion/graduation rates are important to any college’s success, we identified several factors as especially significant to select the top community colleges.” National recognition is not something that PRCC takes for granted. “This ranking runs deeper than just this college, it speaks to the school systems that prepare students to enter here, students’ families supporting them in many ways while in college, and subsequently the work ethic of the students once they get on their career pathway,” said Dr. Scott Alsobrooks, Vice President for Workforce and Economic Development. “PRCC is humbled to have been a part of the fabric that has created such outstanding wage-earning citizens.”